Strickland defeats Chimaev by split decision to win UFC middleweight title

Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev by split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47) to become the new UFC middleweight champion at UFC 328. The analysis highlights a mysterious moment in the second round when Chimaev suddenly fell to his back mid-fight, though he didn't appear injured afterward. Chimaev controlled 4:44 of the first round but something went wrong in the second. The post suggests Chimaev may have conserved energy in the third round by avoiding wrestling entirely. The observer believes Chimaev's conditioning wasn't as sharp as in his fight with Dricus du Plessis, possibly due to the weight cut.